by Hart, Rebel
If it was even possible.
“Dani, what I do… it’s not for the faint of heart.”
She turned fully toward me. “All right. So tell me what you do.”
I took another sip. “The life I lead is dangerous. I have enemies that take cracks at me all the time. That target me and my brother. They come after us on a regular basis.”
“Like when you were jumped outside the dorm?”
I nodded. “Yes. Like then.”
“You think someone’s out to get you?”
“I know someone is. It’s the nature of my business. What I do. The life I’ve chosen for myself. It’s wild, and unpredictable, and dangerous. And even though I’d do whatever it took to keep you safe, I also can’t guarantee I’ll always be able to do that.”
She blinked. “Well, I can take care of myself. I’m not completely incapable of something like that.”
“I never said you were. But I’m not talking about existential crises here, Dani. I’m talking about moments where former clients have wanted me dead. Wanted men in my crew dead. I’m talking about times where things go haywire with a job and we piss off the wrong person. And suddenly, I’m patrolling neighborhoods and going dark for weeks at a time to make sure the guys in my crew--and their families--are safe.”
“See? There. You keep them safe. You can keep me safe.”
I nodded. “I know. What I’m saying is that you could get hurt with me, Dani. Really, truly hurt. Not emotionally hurt. Not spiritually hurt. But physically, unfixably, hurt.”
The look on her face was unreadable. As she reached for her drink, I watched those soft lips of hers wrap around the small red straw. She took long sips. I watched her neck bounce softly with her swallows. I wanted to know what she was thinking. How she was feeling. But all I had to go on was the muted profile of her face.
The reality of the situation was that she couldn’t take care of herself. Not like she needed to for the life I led. I knew how easily Benji could make Dani back down. How easily anyone could make her a target and take her out at a moment’s notice. And those people were small fish. My father--with all his bullshit--was still only a medium-sized fish in a massive ocean of people who had the capability to run us all over. Take us all out before the sun could rise on yet another day.
I lived with that threat, day in and day out.
And I wasn’t sure Dani could.
I’m not sure if I want to let her.
“Look, Dani, all I’m saying is that life can change at the drop of a hat. One minute, things are going smoothly. And the next, you’re face down in a puddle of your own blood. I would understand if you decided it was too much for you.”
She stopped drinking. “What are you saying?”
“I’m giving you an out.”
She put her drink down. “An out?”
“Yes. An out. A chance to walk away.”
Her gaze found my stare. “As in, a chance to end this. You and me. What we’re doing here.”
I nodded. “Yes. One chance. You have this moment to walk away without any repercussions at all. But if you stay in this with me, then you’re fucking in it. Because I don’t let go when I want something. I never have, and I never will. And I’ve never wanted something the way I want you, gorgeous. Ever.”
I watched her cheeks turn pink. I watched them heat as a soft smile crossed her face. Damn it, she was the cutest little thing I’d ever come across. And I’d be fucked if she left. She looked radiant in the moonlight. Her purple blouse matched her lips and her sparkling eyes stared up at me. As if I were the end-all-be-all of her life. She’d never looked so beautiful to me. So adorable. So cute.
I wanted to kiss her until she couldn’t breathe. But I settled for slipping my hand against her knee. I resisted the urge to drag her against me and permanently etch that blush across the whole of her body. Right here, in this fucking booth. I had to resist. I couldn’t sway her decision. She had to make this on her own. I couldn’t make this choice for her.
“I’ve never wanted anything the way I want you either,” she whispered.
I shrugged. “Might not be worth it.”
“That’s for me to find out, isn’t it?”
I searched her eyes. “Danger is inevitable with me. Lots of it.”
She threw her head back. “Hah! Hah! Hah! I laugh in the face of danger.”
I furrowed my brow. “What?”
“Lion King?”
“Huh?”
She blinked. “The Disney movie?”
“Uh…”
Her jaw fell open. “Haven’t you ever seen The Lion King?”
I shook my head. “No clue what you’re talking about.”
She scoffed. “How the hell have you never seen The Lion King? It’s a classic, Max. What the hell did you watch as a child? Paint dry?”
“Wasn’t much of a television kid. I liked mud.”
“But what about snow days? Or sick days? Or rainy days? Lion King was my go-to movie on sick days.”
“Rainy days are the best for mud pies. Snow’s fun to play in. I never got sick.”
“You never got sick as a kid.”
“Not severely, no.”
She snickered. “Well, then we’re watching that movie together for our next date. You, me, Disney, popcorn, and a blanket. Oh! And soda. Can’t forget the soda. With two straws. We’re going to go old school for this next one.”
I paused. “Does that mean you’re not walking away from this?”
I hated how vulnerable that question made me feel. I hated the way my voice sounded. The desperation that laced it. I watched Dani bite down onto her lower lip. Her eyes danced around the barely-there bruises still on my face. Her hand fell against my chest and slid down my side. And when she got to my ribcage, her fingers splayed out. Almost as if she were trying to heal the rest of me that was sore.
“I’m in this, Max. I want this. I want you. No matter what comes our way. Okay?”
And the fireworks that went off inside my gut had nothing on the way my cock pulsed. The way my grin slid across my face. I wrapped my arm around Dani and pulled her close, crashing our lips together. Sealing our union for everyone to behold. Her hands danced against my body. She fisted my shirt, drawing me closer as our tongues danced together. The music thumped and our drinks were forgotten as she climbed into my lap and straddled me, grinding against me to the beat of the music filling the rooftop.
“No matter what, okay?” she whispered.
I sucked on her lower lip. “No matter what, gorgeous.”
13
Dani
The door crashed open as we stumbled into the back room. The three rum and Cokes I had allowed myself went straight to my head. And my hands were connected to Max’s body. His lips ravaged mine. His tongue raked against the roof of my mouth. I slid my hands down his torso. Around his back. I gripped his ass and pulled him close to me as my back fell against a wall.
A dark wall, in a dark room. Away from the thumping music and the glitter on the dance floor.
“More,” he growled.
I moaned down the back of his throat as our tongues collided.
“I need more of you, Dani.”
I gasped. “You have me. All of me. Take what you want.”
His hands fisted my ass cheeks and he hoisted me against the wall. His lips found my neck, nibbling and sucking. My hands were gripping and tugging. I wanted him naked. I wanted his skin against mine. I needed to feel him. Be filled with him.
You're in so much trouble.
I was all in with this man. And holy hell was he a lot of man. My parents would be mortified if they ever found out. But I didn’t care. I didn’t give a shit about what anyone thought. I loved Max. I’d fallen for him. And he made me happier than anything else in my life.
Damn it all.
His hands slid up my shirt. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he pinned me between his body and the cold surface behind me. I gripped his hair and pulled his head u
p, gazing into his war-torn eyes. His nostrils flared. He practically gnashed his teeth at me. And when I pressed my lips against his once more, I felt his heart beating against my chest.
Keeping time with mine.
You’re the one for me, Max.
“Mine,” he grunted.
Always yours.
“I need to feel you,” he whispered.
I took his hand and placed it against my breast. My forehead fell against his own as our eyes connected. He gripped my breast, tweaking the nipples until they puckered against my bra. I felt heat pooling between my legs. That dastardly grin he always had pulled across his face, making me blush. I felt his cock against my jeans. He ground against me, stroking me and teasing me.
Your parents would be very horrified right now.
“You make me feel alive, Max.”
His head pulled back just a tad and my eyes focused on him.
“I know that sounds weird, and I know it ruins the moment. But, that’s how you make me feel. Like I haven’t really been living until I met you.”
His eyes searched mine. “Don’t say things you don’t mean.”
I shook my head. “Not a habit I ever entertained.”
He stepped away from me and my legs unwound from him. His hand gripped my waist as he settled me onto my feet. Had I said something wrong? Had I made him upset? I craned my neck back to keep his face in view. The soft yellow bruises still underneath his skin sobered me up. I ran my hands softly down his torso, slowing down as my fingers rumbled over his ribs. I searched his face for any sign of pain. Any sign of hurt or discomfort.
“You’re so easy to read, gorgeous.”
I blinked. “Why did you back away?”
“Why do you think?”
I paused. “I’m concerned I’ve said something wrong.”
He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Not at all. If anything, you said something right.”
“I’m not following.”
He grinned. “Why don’t we get the hell out of here and I’ll prove it to you?”
My heart skipped a beat. “Your wish is my command.”
“Good girl.”
His hand slipped into mine and he pulled me farther away from the wall. The darkness slowly gave way to the lights and the sounds of the rooftop club. My heart thundered in my ears. He winked at me before he pushed through the door and led me across the floor. People continued throwing glitter into the air. Jello shots came out by the dozens. I had to push two trays away just to get through the chaos. And all the while, I felt Max’s hand holding tight to mine. Gripping tighter. Refusing to lose me in the crowd.
I was ready to get this man alone.
My man.
I picked up the pace until I could thread my arm around his waist and walk alongside him. I loved the way he held me. The way his arm claimed me in public. Everyone knew who I belonged to. Who I was with. And everyone knew that Max was mine. That he belonged to me, too. I never wanted that to change. I never wanted anything about this to change. No matter what Hannah thought, or my parents, or anyone else I might come across.
I knew I’d always choose Max.
“Shit.”
He stopped abruptly and held out his arm, stopping me in my tracks.
“Max?”
“Shh.”
“What?”
He looked down at me. “Shh.”
His eyes darted back up and the frown on his face made my heart stop. And not in a good way. He quickly spun me around and slipped behind me, his hands against my shoulders. He guided me back through the crowd. Away from the exit door as we made our way through the dancing throngs of horny people once more.
“Max, where are we going? Your bike is back that--ah!”
I almost ran into someone carrying a tray of drinks. I whipped around, intending to demand an answer from Max. But the fury in his eyes prompted me to keep my mouth shut. He twisted me back around and kept leading me. I felt the tension in his hands growing. He gripped my shoulders so tightly I thought he’d leave marks behind. And all the while, he guided me back to the back room.
Until we were shrouded in darkness again.
“Max, what’s going on?”
He turned around and closed the door before I heard him rummaging around in his jeans.
“Max? Say something, damn it.”
A light came on. “I said hush.”
I lowered my voice. “Tell me what’s going on. What are we doing?”
He started panning the light around, completely ignoring my voice. What the hell was going on? What in the world just happened?
“Max, please. Tell me.”
He spun around quickly. “Do as I ask, or this is done.”
I blinked. “Excuse me?”
“When you were sitting out in that booth, you made a commitment to me. Did you mean it?”
I stared at him. “Of course I meant it. But that doesn't mean--”
“When it’s safe, I’ll explain. Until then? Trust me to protect you.”
My blood turned cold. “I’m in danger?”
“We both are. Follow me. There’s a stairwell over here.”
He wrapped his hand around my wrist and tugged me along behind him. I mean, it was all I could do to keep up. Even I heard the panic in his voice. And I’d never heard that before. Ever. Not once had he ever wavered. But the more he tried to keep me quiet, the more wavers I heard.
It made me nervous.
He opened the door to the stairwell and we rushed down it. I stumbled into him a few times. And every time, he turned around to catch me. Worry rushed through my body. It felt like I could hear everything within a five-block radius. Every single part of my body was on alert, waiting to be seen. Waiting to be yanked around.
Waiting to be jumped.
I followed Max while he followed his little light. And when we found a door with an ‘exit’ sign, we dashed in that direction. He eased the door open silently and I peeked outside. There was an alleyway outside.
“Come on. Stay close, gorgeous.”
He certainly didn't have to tell me twice.
The alleyway was dark, with signs to direct trucks into a loading zone. I rubbernecked around, trying to take it all in, making sure no one was approaching us from any other angle. Max dropped my hand and jogged to the entrance of the alley, peeking out onto the sidewalk, his eyes dancing against something I couldn't see. I stood there, waiting for him. Waiting for our next move. But, as I watched him, I saw his shoulders tense.
Before he burst into a sprint back my way.
“Run with me, and keep up as much as you can,” he said.
Not like I had a choice in the matter.
Nonetheless, I kept the pace Max set. The running helped me to dispel some of the nervous energy pooling in my gut. It didn’t stop my entire body from shaking, though. I cursed my inner wimp. I needed to be able to handle shit like this if I was going to be with him. Our destination seemed to be the other side of the alleyway, away from the parking lot. Away from his bike. Away from the noise and the chaos and the crowd standing outside the restaurant-slash-club.
But before we got there, he pinned me against the wall in the darkness. He held his breath. He cloaked me with his body as the world fell momentarily silent around us with his hands on either side of my face as we leaned against the brick wall.
Listening for something I couldn’t hear.
“Max?” I whispered.
His head kept darting around, looking up and down the alley. As if he were waiting for something. Or someone.
“Max?” I whispered harshly.
“Someone was waiting for me. I think they spotted me.”
My hands rose to his chest. “Who?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then how do you know they were waiting for you?”
“They were by my bike.”
I nodded quickly. “Okay, that’s bad. Um, what were they doing? Were they carrying any--?”
He groane
d. “Just give me a second.”
“Do you know what they want?”
He growled. “Dani?”
“Yes?”
“Shut up and give me a second to think.”
My stomach churned with nerves. Tears of fear rushed my eyes. I closed them, trying to hold them back because I didn’t want Max to see me this weak. I didn’t want him to think I couldn't handle this life. Or being out with him. But when my body began to tremble, I knew my anxiety had betrayed me.
Of course you’d walk into trouble the night Max warns you it’ll come for them.
It was like the world was actively trying to separate us.
“Shit.”
My eyes flew open. “What?”
He gripped my arm. “Come with me. Now.”
I stumbled away from the wall. “Wait a second. What’s happening. What--?”
“They’re coming. We have to run. Now.”
And again, he certainly didn’t have to tell me twice.
14
Max
I dragged Dani behind me until we made it to the back of the alleyway. I ripped her around the corner and spun her until she faced me, placing her back against the wall. Then I jammed my hand back into my pocket and pulled out my phone.
“Dani, I need you to do something for me. It’s important.”
I kept my voice as low as I could while she looked up at me with wide eyes.
“What is it?” she asked.
I slapped my phone in her hand. “Call a man in my contacts named Rupert. You remember him, right? Red hair?”
“Yeah. Yeah, I--I do.”
“Good. Call him. Tell him where we are. Tell him I need him now. As soon as he can get here.”
“What’s going to happen? What’s happening, Max?”
The tremble in her voice broke my heart. The tears she kept trying to blink back shook me to my core. The way her hand quaked as he wrapped her fingers around my phone made me wonder if I was a fool. If I really had done right by her in letting her make her own decision about this.
Then again, she was a grown woman. No longer the cute little girl I’d seen across the street moving into her little dorm room.
